


Retaliation ain't a bed of roses

by joouheika



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-01
Updated: 2013-08-01
Packaged: 2017-12-22 02:08:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/907624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joouheika/pseuds/joouheika
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Soldiers aren't likely to know the language of flowers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Retaliation ain't a bed of roses

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文 available: [Retaliation ain't a bed of roses/回复并非总能尽如人意](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1005473) by [sherryeris](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sherryeris/pseuds/sherryeris)



Within Wall Sina and Wall Rose there is a certain custom when it comes to courting.

It’s from an old story (not so old many say), of a gardener who fell in love with the Goddess Rose.

Every day on her way into the town, to the church, to the castle, she would pass by his garden. Struck by her beauty, he strove even harder to make his garden as beautiful as possible. So immense was his love, he began to grow only roses.

After growing what he thought to be roses as beautiful as she, he began to discreetly declare his unworthy love to her through gradually decorating her way with the roses. 

As the days passed, the roses increased. She would see them in the bakery she often visited, on the steps of the church, and even on window ledges of the castles.

The custom is: for a month, for each day- to place roses where your love frequented. You never presented it directly to them yourself, they were supposed to gradually recognize the roses should your feelings be requited. Some accepted on the first rose shown, others would not do until a whole bouquet was presented. Acceptance was merely by touching the flowers, the roses were always placed while in a place easily seen, rather out of reach (or that was how it was supposed to go though there were some who did not always abide by this). Once the month was up should the intended not accept any rose then that meant the suitor had been rejected.

In the case of the gardener and the goddess, the gardener toiled for ten something years to express his love. The few times he’d seen Rose glance at her namesake flower had been enough for him, until one day it dawned on him that within the goddesses’ gaze was not appreciation but disappointment.

She is a creator, he reasoned and came to this rationale- the flowers he presented to her and her alone were dead and this could not do, so the gardener did as such- along all the walls, he grew the roses, so that where ever she walked she would see them.

Hundreds, thousands of roses she saw all from him, all for her.

Living, thriving roses.

In return she bestowed him her smile.

That is all that is known of that story.

Unlikely it is, for the walls have not existed as long as the goddesses, and there was no way a goddess would walk among them.

But it is a popular tale nonetheless that founded this custom so loved in Wall Rose it is unheard of to not play the “court of roses” when you want a lover and often favoured in Wall Sina (primarily by the upper classes) for its mystery and suspense.

Who is presenting the rose?

Who is the rose for?

How many roses will there be before there be lovers?

That is what the rest of the Special Operations Squad is wondering, many being from either Wall Sina or Wall Rose where such a custom is practiced, and the tale well known. They never thought they’d be involved in it anyway given their profession and duty, but it wasn’t like it wasn’t allowed merely…

Erd is talking low to Guther about it when they tend to the horses this morning.

“Maybe it’s a prank.”

Petra glances almost icily to Auruo, that ice dissolving as he tells the two-

“No one jokes about obtaining a potential rose bride, maybe they do that within Wall Sina but certainly not Wall Rose.”

Petra voices her agreement, almost impressed- “Someone must have extremely bad taste if they think the court of roses is a place for pranks.”

And Erd and Guther are impressed Auruo and Petra are agreeing on something.

Petra wonders if they should inform Commander Erwin of this. It is gradually becoming a problem. A distraction.

Surely they shouldn’t be focusing or sticking their noses into this, whatever it is- but it is certainly hard. It had to be one of their own doing this given the location of the roses being placed and the times they appeared.

It was that or someone had infiltrated their more private sections of HQ- absolutely impossible. Besides for what purpose if not the court of roses, were these roses for?

They mull over this some more, wondering if one of them have lied about being the perpetrator- continuously wondering who the intended is more than who the suitor is, for they feel if they just know that first part then the second would be crystal clear.

Petra doesn’t realise they never included Eren into their conversation of this because he didn’t seem to care about it. He’d been a good boy to not eavesdrop, but she’s regretting not asking him when one evening, the end of the month drawing near, it becomes clear finally who the roses are for.

There’s an entire bouquet of them on the table, right before the spot Eren sits.

This is clearly a sign of desperation.

Eren looks uncomfortable, hands folded in his lap as Hanji passes out plates of their probably edible meal if she hasn’t been too creative on her turn tonight. When she gets to Eren who is last at the end, expectantly she looks at him-

Eren speaks up.

“Ah, uhm- Ms Hanji would it be alright if I moved the roses?”

Hanji is still holding his plate as she gives a thoughtful hum.

“Hmmm why are you asking me that~ shouldn’t you decide for yourself?”

Eren looks confused.

“Was that… your intention? I don’t want to ruin your experiment.”

“Experiment?”

“…yes. Have you not said before that titans might be related to plant life given their possible reliance on sunlight for sustenance. Did you not place dead flowers before me to see if I’d have some sort of reaction?”

In other words if titans are related to plants could they have an emotional reaction to seeing their dead “relatives”… or in general shifters who are also human and therefore do carry emotions- what sort of reaction would they have? What would that mean?

Hanji's never thought of this before, this isn’t _her_ experiment though now she kinda wishes it was. She certainly wishes it when Eren tells her, almost more anxious from her contemplative silence.

“I don’t think it’ll be of any use to you but I’ve written a record on my physical and mental well being for each day I did spot the flowers in case you would like that.”

“I would I would!”

Everyone lets out the breath they’d been holding when they see that the plate of Eren’s food Hanji had been holding, has not ended up spilled all over the clean table as she's dropped it down so she can lean over and take Eren’s hands in hers, elation on every feature.

“You’re such good boy Eren! I can’t wait to read what you _think_ of these roses.”

Usually when Hanji is this riled up they’re all on edge on what crazy reckless for science action she is about to take that might damage their well being or what nuance of sanity they still thought they had, but right now Eren looks relieved.

He didn’t mess up the experiment then…

“It’s in the dungeon. I could go get it for you right now if you like.”

Hanji is practically cheering.

“Sure! Let’s go!”

Erd is about to say they should eat first. Petra’s head whirling at these new revelations- so the roses had been Hanji’s experiment all along? While not impossible it is strange. Guther wonders if it’s fine to start eating and Auruo turns to look at Corporal Levi whose seat is at the opposite end should Commander Erwin not be present (he isn’t).

“Oh yeah… it’s alright if you move the roses Eren.”

Hanji is telling him.

-what Auruo sees is an empty seat and the almost incomprehensible sight of a few droplets of tea that’s spilt onto the table from Levi’s cup at him abruptly setting it down.

Eren is reaching for the roses when he’s stopped from picking the bouquet up.

Levi has grabbed his wrist and clutches it tightly. Almost a punishment, not merely a warning. Eren is put on edge instantly. His relief of before completely dissolved.

“That’s not good, Eren.”

Levi tells him, staring straight into his eyes.

Alarmed, Eren feels his chest tighten - “What do you mean by that sir?”

Levi explains it to him.

“I told you before didn’t I? About this _truly_ shitty pair of glasses. How above all else it’ll be the cause of your death.”

Levi’s grip is unrelenting around Eren’s wrist. So focused had Eren been on looking back at the Corporal he’d not noticed that in Levi’s other hand, the Corporal has snatched up the roses. He doesn’t notice until he recognizes the almost metallic scent of blood.

Because Levi is clutching onto the roses almost as hard as he clutches onto Eren, the thorns have cut into his hand. Now bleeding-

Eren starts.

“Corporal-!”

“Eren. Should you have cut your hand on these roses and transformed into a titan what do you think we would have to do next?”

The rest of the squad can almost hear Eren’s bones creak under the strain of Levi’s hold.

Thinking about it Eren-

“I see. I’m very sorry.”

Levi sighs.

“So long as you understand it’s fine.”

He turns to Hanji.

The fury in his gaze almost intangible at how prominent it is.

“You stay here. I’ll collect Eren’s record.”

With both the roses and Eren in hand Levi pulls Eren along. Departing for the dungeon. Only after the two have left does Erd start eating, Guther halfway through already. Auruo doesn’t drink anymore of his tea and Petra turns to Hanji as well, who’s sat down, a shrug in her disposition even as she eats.

Petra’s back is completely straight as she asks for clarification.

She will believe what she’s told.

That’s what she’s decided.

That’s what’s expected of a soldier to their superiors.

“Squad Leader. This whole time you’ve been running an experiment with Eren?”

Hanji looks over to her. She’s heard what’s actually been said, absolutely, though the airy look she’d have before had been far away, thinking of what Eren might have written. She sure as fuck isn’t going to get to read any of it if Levi gets to it first.

He will.

Even so.

“Yes.”

Hanji tells her, smile almost reassuring, elbows on the table as she rests her chin on the tops of her hands.

“The experiment’s been a total bust I have to admit…”

Her laughter is sympathetic, surprisingly.

The sympathy is not for herself.

Petra turns away, pensive. Concerned.

“Should we tell Commander Erwin?”

Hanji shakes her head. Resumes eating.

“There’s no need~ He already knows the results of this experiment. Ah, actually since it’s him we’re talking about- from the start he knew them.”

Petra has taken up her spoon. Smiles a little in return.

“You’re right Squad Leader. Thanks for clearing things up.”

Taking a bite of her food… it doesn’t need to be this salty… they are all going to have to hear the lecture on rationing salt again aren’t they…

If Commander Erwin gives the lecture that’ll be for the best.

\--

In the dungeon.

Eren is rummaging around the few possessions he’d been allowed and accumulated since joining the Recon Corps.

Levi is sitting on the bed, the bouquet of roses dropped to the floor. Many of the petals have fallen off and strewn a path leading into here from where they’d been.

When Eren turns Levi holds out his hand for the record.

“The other hand sir.”

Levi holds out his other hand.

Annoyed.

Suddenly remembers it’s crusted with blood when Eren takes it gently in his hold.

It’s not the record Eren had been talking about that he’d been looking for but a makeshift first aid kit he’d assembled. As the son of a doctor and being a soldier, having this prepared is a necessity.

He cleans Levi’s cuts and picks out what thorns have embedded themselves in the flesh, disinfects the cuts, then wraps with gauze the wounds carefully. His expression concentrating, not looking at Levi- only his injured hand.

Levi watches. Watches Eren’s lips lightly part as he takes a sharp intake of breath at the amount of thorns he’s had to extract, that Corporal had injured himself on something such as this, all to make a point, all to teach him a lesson. He was always in a need of a lesson, no matter how hard he tried, some detail, vital- always managed to escape him and Corporal would have to help him-

“The record?”

Levi asks, looking from Eren’s careful fingers, his chest, his collarbone, his mouth-

As Eren replies.

“I will give it to you in a moment sir. I’m almost done.”

Levi wants to give it to him. Wants to push him against the mattress and ensnare both hands, injured and not into his hair, wants to press his mouth over Eren’s and teach him the actual lesson. Wants to know why if Eren can so tenderly bandage his wounds why he didn’t accept the roses. Wants Eren to bandage all his wounds, wants him to hold his hand as this always, wants to hold him, Levi wants Eren-

“You’re looking a little red. Are you not feeling well?”

Eren is asking him, what else he’d said Levi had not heard. This is unusual, he takes everyone’s words into account, not just Eren’s. Weighs them, decides upon them. Sometimes unable to decipher the true meaning he acts with just instinct and hopes for the best. All the while trying to uphold what sort of order that exists, tries to abide by it for the best results. That is what he’d tried with Eren. How many have played in the court of roses and failed? How many have lost to the extent that Levi has?

Eren learned how to bandage a wound such as the ones on Levi’s hands from his father, and while his father also taught him other ways to check for pains, for illness, it’s how his mother taught him how to determine a fever that Eren uses now- pressing him brow to Levi’s-

“You’re really warm right now Corporal Levi.”

Eren’s mouth is too close to his.

“Would you like some water? It’s too cold down here, perhaps we should return up to the others.”

Eren’s hand is holding back his hair, Eren’s hand is in his hair-

In a way Eren had touched the roses, when he’d picked out the thorns, gathered the lot of them in another hand, carefully washing in what water was stored down here his hands- the wounds-

Levi fucking hates himself, hates this desperation, hates how close Eren’s mouth is right now and still it is untouchable. Wonders how proficient he’ll be in maintaining order when he’s fucked it north and south, come morning, should he take Eren right now despite the rules of the court of roses.

He could have him.

He could have him with his hands pushing him away, his body curling back. Levi could force his way in, he didn’t lack the strength, he could have Eren’s mouth red like the roses he’d presented (and had not accepted), he could have his legs wrapped around his hips now, could have Eren whispering against his neck, crying _Corporal_ , asking _why_ , saying _no_ -

And it’s when Levi gets to the word no he stops himself.

He could have Eren right now but Eren wouldn’t truly be his.

“Get me the record and I’ll return. You are to stay here.”

Eren draws back, a noise of protest starting at the back of his throat.

Levi wants to tear it out, wants it in his mouth, swallow it down, might have it despite his earlier ambition of never relinquished control when Eren averting his eyes, nods obediently.

Truly a child punished. To go without dinner.

After Eren has given him the record Levi chains him up, tucks him in.

He leaves but returns with a few more blankets, he piles them on Eren and tucks them around him as before he’d only had the one.

By now Eren is soundly asleep and no longer shivering.

Levi cleans up the mess the roses made, and collects the skeleton of the bouquet.

\--

Hanji is waiting for him in his quarters.

She’s even considerately (with ulterior motives ahoy), started a fire in the hearth for him.

She should have expected this outcome but still she lit the fire. 

Levi throws the record on it.

Hanji gives out a wail.

“Noooooo Levi why did you do that! Tell me tell me what did Eren write?!”

“I don’t know.”

Levi tells her, precise, and she looks even more horrified at that.

“Weren’t you curious?”

“I was.”

Hanji looks over at him from where she’d been kneeling, mourning before the flames, at what possible titan related information there might possibly have been in Eren’s writings, even if he didn’t know it himself. It was really interesting, plants and titans and sunlight and plants with titans, titans with plants, titans in the sunlight, Eren being a titan shifter, Eren being a titan shifter and plants, Eren-

“Say Levi.”

“What is it?”

Levi has sat down at his desk.

She even brought him tea too.

It’s really shit, considering it’s lukewarm now and she thought adding sugar beforehand into the entire damn pot was a good idea. The sentiment would be enough to cover all the bases, she might not have been so far off the mark if this hadn’t been about Eren.

Hanji wants to bring up something important about Eren.

“I was just wondering… didn’t you know within Wall Maria, they don’t play the court of roses?”

Being from Wall Sina himself- Levi looks up sharply.

“They don’t?”

“No~ they have other customs there. Roses are considered expensive since they come from a whole other wall and they’re a bunch of farmers ya know? With all that land, they grow other sorts of crops and flowers they find way more useful than roses.”

Levi looks into his cup of undrinkable tea.

“So you’re telling me this whole time I’ve been playing in the court of roses with someone who doesn’t know the court even exists. You’re telling me this whole time I’ve done this and you, for some reason, could not find the time at all this month to inform me of this.”

Hanji is standing up now, arms behind her shoulders, she gives a little kick to the air.

“That’s right.”

Levi looks over to her from the cup he sets back down.

He really needs not fucked up tea right now.

And a loaded pistol.

“Care to explain fucking why?”

Hanji bites back her smile, momentarily, her amusement bearing through.

“I was curious. I wasn’t the only one. We never thought we’d see humanity’s strongest soldier fighting in the court of roses of all places. Hehe, it was really interesting, especially when your opponent was oblivious to the danger!”

Levi’s glare expresses how distasteful he thinks this sort of thinking is.

“Eren isn’t my opponent. You can’t play the court of roses if your intended doesn’t know how to play…”

This rarely happens. People within the same walls usually paired together but-

“Come on I thought you knew what you were getting yourself into. You didn’t know Eren is from Wall Maria?”

Levi shakes his head.

“No, I didn’t know Wall Maria doesn’t hold this custom.”

Once you start playing the court of roses you can’t turn back.

“Shit.”

Hanji is laughing at him.

“You’ve fucked up pretty bad. Alright! To make up for earlier, shall I tell you how to obtain victory~?”

Whether earlier meant her getting Eren to accept the roses insincerely (which would have made a match, but it’d have tarnished it, a union like that usually meant an unlucky marriage) or her withholding information, it doesn’t matter.

Hanji takes the cup Levi didn’t drink from, and gulping down the tea. Setting the cup on the opposite end of the desk now that it’s for her, not him.

“The people of Wall Maria don’t find any value in hints or subtleties. They’re very direct. Presenting a flower other than in person is just stupidity to them. Amount doesn’t matter. They’ve got a lot more people and a lot more poor. One flower will do. But it has to be this flower.”

Hanji leans forward.

“Can you guess what it is?”

Levi doesn’t look like he wants to.

She continues.

“We don’t get the flower much over in either Wall Sina nor Wall Rose, though this flower’s seeds are imported over to those walls to eat when Wall Maria was still ours. It’s a flower that could only be grown in Wall Maria, does that narrow it down? Ah! I know you’re light headed from the suspense!”

Levi looks like he needs a hard drink, never mind tea.

“Hanji. Tell me.”

Hanji nods, claps her hands-

“Their custom is you are the moon and you must give the sun unto the earth. It’s a sunflower! You have to give Eren a sunflower!”

Hanji recoils a bit from how intense Levi’s look is upon her, and she’s used to the usual.

He brings out pen and paper and taps it, ushering her closer.

“I have not a damn clue what the hell they look like, care to elaborate further?”

Hanji presses her lips, amused, surely by the name alone you could get an idea, but sometimes names are tricky, wrong, total bullshit. Levi isn’t taking any chances.

Hanji draws him a sunflower.

It takes some time.

She puts a little more detail in it than what most people would do when someone is asking for just the idea…

A little to her is a lot to everyone else’s standards, especially people who don’t or in Levi’s case- can’t draw.

Levi looks at the highly accurate and rather pretty drawing of the sunflower over before folding it up and placing it in his shirt pocket.

“They only grow over at Wall Maria? Where?”

Hanji gives him the specifics and when he rises, throwing his mantle over him-

Hanji calls out to him, almost nervous now.

“H-hey there now. You’re not… intending to go get a sunflower are you… at this time of night… Levi that place is still occupied by titans- hey-”

Levi turns to her.

“I’m going. I’ll inform Erwin before I leave. I only have a few days left. I highly doubt we’ll have retaken Wall Maria in that time. I’ll be quick. The place you mentioned is close enough to Wall Rose. Don’t shit yourself, I won’t fail.”

And then he’s gone.

Hanji pours herself another cup of tea. Drinks it.

Wincing.

Totally cold now.

“There’s no time limit to getting your beloved a sunflower, goodness~ still playing the court of roses… even when it’s not roses anymore… how uptight can you get…”

Hanji sits down on Levi’s seat, the room is all nice and warm (the seat too) so she’ll stay here a little longer. She draws more sunflowers on the leftover paper along with roses, jealous of what sort of titans Levi will get to see all on his own.

\--

Levi has been gone for three days already.

Commander Erwin, sitting at his place at the end of the table had informed them the morning after the night Levi had departed, that the Corporal would be away on a solo mission for a little while. There was an extremely important provision he had to acquire before they could advance further on their plans.

Hanji had started choking on the not cold tea she’d been drinking.

The rest of the squad not too likely for laughter not knowing the entire situation, though they had faith Corporal Levi is strong enough to handle whatever task he undertakes for the sake of the mission, that didn’t mean they still couldn’t dislike the fact that he’d gone alone.

Couldn’t he at the very least have taken one of them?

And then in the back of their minds, they thought it odd, almost unnerving that he’d left Eren. Should he leave without taking Eren with him he would always assign Eren to a pair of them specifically. And since none of the squad had been told anything until now… in this situation Eren was under the Commander’s care, right? No way in hell did Levi ever leave Eren directly under Squad Leader Hanji’s care. Least alone.

When he returns the last night of the month upon them it’d been raining heavily.

Glaring over the amount of water he’s dripping onto the floor, he doesn’t have time to stop, he must advance further, quickly- when he reaches the dungeon he runs into Erwin.

“You’ve returned safely.”

Levi nods.

“I’ve all my limbs. You can see my legs can’t you? I’m no ghost.”

Erwin laughs.

“Don’t be mad, but from what information we’ve gathered I don’t think it’s likely for Eren to transform in his sleep so I haven’t been chaining him down. They’d just break anyway if he did shift. The bars should be enough.”

Erwin returns Levi the key.

“Good luck.”

Levi swears at him under his breath.

Eren is still awake and seeing Levi, who goes to him, Eren’s face lighting up-

“Welcome back Corporal Levi!”

-darkening when he sees Levi hasn’t bothered to remove his sopping mantle. 

He’s always careful about keeping everything tidy, and preventing illness. That he hasn’t bothered to remove his wet clothes or dry himself…

“Has something happened sir?!”

Eren has sat up on his bed, and salutes, every muscle shifting in preparation for battle. If Levi has come down to collect him, having gone on an important solo mission- then-

(It lingers, the scent of Eren’s home on Levi- Wall Maria- had he gone to Wall Maria?!)

This is answered affirmative from what Levi draws out from his mantle.

A flower he’d tried to make sure would not get drenched or crushed in the downpour.

Eren recognizes it immediately.

“…why, do you have that Corporal?”

“This is a sunflower ain’t it? I got it to give to you Eren.”

If Hanji had told him wrong-

Eren makes no move to accept the sunflower. Hands fisted at his knees now.

Levi doesn’t know what to do. 

All those times in the dining room, the stable, the arch he so often passed under for training, and elsewhere- Eren’s pleased expression had been merely because Eren likes flowers… for Eren does not know about the court of roses. Before Levi had learned of that, he’d wondered as each day Eren refused to accept- would he like the gardener have to grow roses along all the castle walls?

He pictures it, pictures Eren finally touching the roses should they be grown along the walls, how many nights before Levi entered the court did he imagine Eren with roses in hand, petals crushed in his long fingers, beneath his too slim body, then Eren beneath him as Levi takes him against the wall-

As this thought occurs, revives in him.

“Do you not want it? Do you need more? It’ll take some time but I’ll grow more. Where ever you like. Eren. So long as you promise me when they bloom _you’ll become mine_ -”

Eren’s sharp gaze up is sturdy, unrelenting, determined.

The fragments of confusion burnout stars within the iris.

“I’m very sorry Corporal Levi. I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

Before his grip on the sunflower can crush it, Eren leans up on his knees and presses his hands over Levi’s that hold the sunflower.

Eren’s voice is low, deeper and more threatening than the storm that Levi had fought through.

“I am already yours Corporal. This was decided on not long after I met you. Have I been mistaken this whole time?”

It is also more desolate than the rain that falls.

“Please forgive me. I can’t give you what you already possess.”

He doesn’t need them, he didn’t need them- the flowers. Levi’s grip slackens on the sunflower till it falls from his hands into Eren’s who allows it to slip out from his reflecting touch. Levi cups Eren’s face and kisses him. Eren removes Levi’s drenched mantle, his wet clothes, threading his fingers through Levi’s damp hair as Corporal sticks his tongue in his mouth, their mouths moving against each other making wet noises. Between them and his panting breath Eren tells Levi it’s easy to catch cold once you’ve been in the rain but he could leave it to Eren to warm him up.

Eren removes his clothes with Levi’s assistance.

Moving under the blankets, soon Levi’s skin is damp not only from the rain but their sweat. Eren’s too.

Eren holds a hand over Levi’s as he presses, rubs their cocks against each other, his fingers over Levi’s fingers, palm on his knuckles- Eren moaning against his neck, crying _Levi_ , asking _please_ , saying _yes_ -

Over and over.

Until they both come.

Eren is his.

There’s more than one hell of a mess to clean up come morning but until then, together, they’re plenty warm.


End file.
